Better ecommerce fulfillment leads to a better customer experience.
So far in 2020, Canadian retail businesses of all sizes have had to deal with a tremendous surge in ecommerce demand. Even though it’s been a steadily growing channel for years, the logistical stresses caused by COVID-19 have undoubtedly caught many businesses off guard, forcing them to adapt to new ecommerce trends and best practices while committing to creating the best customer experience online. One area where this need to adapt is felt most prominently is fulfillment.
COVID-19 aside, however, solid fulfillment — picking, packing, shipping, and managing returns — has been and will continue to be essential to creating the best customer experience possible. It’s a pillar of the type of customer-centric thinking that will lead to fewer abandoned carts, repeat purchases and more brand loyalty. All that said, better fulfillment is hard to achieve alone, especially without the right resources, personnel and expertise. That’s where we come in.
For Canadian businesses looking to reduce shipping rates, deliver on time and reduce abandoned carts, working with an ecommerce fulfillment partner like GoBolt is an excellent option. Read on to learn how we help our partners in these areas.
1. We Help You Secure More Competitive Shipping Rates
When overhead costs associated with things like shipping and warehousing start to grow, small- to medium-sized businesses lose the ability to stay competitive in a market where added fees mean unsatisfied customers. In a 2018 survey looking at the primary reason why Canadian online shoppers abandon cart, a definitive 72% of respondents blamed shipping costs that end up being too high or more than expected.
Instead of deterring conversions through exorbitant shipping costs, work with an ecommerce fulfillment partner who can help you stay competitive and flexible. We leverage the significant amount we spend with UPS, FedEx, Canada Post, Canpar and other major postage providers to secure excellent, discounted postage rates of up to 80% for our ecommerce fulfillment clients and their consumers. We never mark these rates up and we pass the savings directly on to the businesses we work with.
2. We Reduce Shipping Wait Times and Live Up to Delivery Expectations
It’s one thing to have a smooth, seamlessly running online store; it’s quite another to have the back-end logistics to sustain that seamless experience all the way through to the final delivery. Aside from the crucial role they play in cultivating a positive brand image, living up to efficient delivery expectations and faster shipping drives consumer choice. In a 2019 ecommerce report by Canada Post, living up to delivery expectations and fast shipping both ranked in the top four factors that determine the choice of retailer. Considering how many choices there are online, it’s essential to not let these logistical considerations stand in the way of ecommerce success.
The Top Factors That Drive a Consumer’s Choice of Retailer
- The retailer offers free shipping – 80%
- The retailer manages and lives up to delivery expectations – 52%
- The retailer offers a better return policy – 50%
- The retailer offers faster shipping – 46%
When it comes to reducing shipping times, it pays to be closer to your end customers. At GoBolt, that’s exactly where we can get you. Our fully owned and operated warehouses are strategically located in four of the largest urban centres in Canada (Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa and Montreal) to get you closer to your end customers and reduce shipping times.
And best of all? Our services are standardized and fully integrated no matter the location, which means you can expect the same quality of service no matter where we’re fulfilling orders for you. We are so confident in our ability to deliver on time that we guarantee same-day order fulfillment for orders placed before 1:00 PM and next-day delivery for everything else.
3. Better Reverse Logistics Can Make All the Difference
Whenever consumers buy online, they take a calculated risk. While product images, models and excellent product descriptions go a long way, there is still a good chance that they will face issues with their order. As a result, it’s no surprise that a solid, transparent returns policy and seamless reverse logistics matter a great deal when it comes to driving consumer choice and mitigating abandon carts. The numbers back this up:
- At least 30% of online purchases are returned vs. 8.9% in physical stores
- 92% of customers will buy something again if the return process was easy
- 67% of shoppers check the returns page before making a purchase
- 47% want an easy-to-print return label
Its effect on consumer choice aside, reverse logistics can also negatively impact the bottom line. From inventory losses and re-stocking expenses to shipping costs, it can be a painful process for many retailers. With GoBolt, however, it’s a simple, seamless process for both businesses and consumers:
- Request: The customer requests a return or exchange
- Label Created: GoBolt partner generates shipping label on the online portal
- Label Emailed: We email the shipping label to the customer with specific instructions
- Product Sent Back: Customer prints label, places on parcel, and mails it back to us
- Back Into Inventory: Parcel received by GoBolt and added back to inventory
We Help You Improve the Ecommerce Experience for Your Customers
Running a business and successfully scaling your operations in the ecommerce marketplace is hard. Don’t let the logistics of fulfillment stand in the way of growth. When you work with GoBolt, you’re choosing a dedicated partner who will help you respond to, and overcome, the most common ecommerce challenges faced by businesses of all sizes.